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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Monday, February 17, 2020

Review and more! - Scion: Book II: House of Ruin (Scion #2) by Miriam Newman


I suppose you could say that I have three inseparable interests:  the past, the future, and romance.



REVIEW

The second volume of the Scion series, House of Ruin was a very quick read. It made me curious and even though I knew from the beginning that it will be a short read, very fast I knew that I'll want more.

House of Ruin continues the story from the first volume and represents the bridge, the transition to the next. You have to consider that the Scion is, in fact, a serial novel and therefore you must start reading it from the first installment: House of Bardin. Fortunately for you, there is already a release date of the next one: House of the Twelfth Planet, so you don't have to wait too much for it. I cannot wait to find out if it's the final or just their next step. There is much to deal with in this story so I hope for more installments. 

The disadvantage of a serial novel is that the readers don't get the full story at once. But in this case, the author managed two important things: 1) even if they are only parts of a story, each of the volumes is well structured and could play the card of a good short story; 2) the story of each volume captivates and makes the reader want to wait for and read the next.

Whilst the story evolves through the installments, the author changes the focus and importance of the characters. M.N. succeeded to build two powerful characters who are differently tested by society. The House of Bardin is centered on Lela tribulations and transformation with Caius as a catalyst. The House of Ruin is concentred on Caius's challenges. In the middle of and scope of the political games and traps, Caius will prove his worth as a man, soldier, and politician. The importance of their connection subtly exists and grows in the background and/as is the reason for future decisions. If at the beginning they fight for themselves and against/for becoming a (real) couple, they will come to fight together in the third (and hopefully the next) volumes. 

M.N. built a "believable" world mixing elements that should have eliminated one another: the luxury and misery, amenities, and dangers of the antiquity and science fiction worlds. There is a mix of past and future that works very well under the author's pen.

Yes, in the essence is a love story. And, as a good love story should have, there is a lot of fight against for a chance to a happy ending.

Read them all!!
GUEST POST

I suppose you could say that I have three inseparable interests:  the past, the future, and romance.

Strong as my belief is in all three, I believe science fiction romance has a lot to offer and I think many readers are looking for the same thing.  I cut my teeth, so to speak, on the works of classic fantasy and science fiction authors.  Think Ursula Le Guin, Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke.  I did dream of electric sheep, and Larry Givens’ “The Mote in God’s Eye.”  I was reading “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings “ long before many others were, and visited Avalon and Mary Stewart’s Crystal Caves.  I watched the first moon landing and wrote lines of poetry along the lines of, “Men still unformed, not dreaming of the light/Know we have known your journey and its end.”

All of it combined in my head as a profound belief in the drive to explore...an absolute certainty that we would one day colonize the stars and profound regret that I would not be alive to see it.  But I knew that the power of love, romance, the human instinct to love and create—just as strong as the drive to explore—would one day take us there.

That is why, from time to time, I give in to the urge to create worlds we have not yet seen.  They are and will be worlds populated by people and even species who will nevertheless honor the same forces that will send us to the stars, whether in reality, on the pages of a book or, more probably, both.     

About the author:
Fantasy poetry driven by myths and legends has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I was published in poetry before catching the romance writing bug. I bring that background to my writing along with a lifelong addiction to horses, an 18-year career in various areas of psychiatric social services and many trips to Ireland, where I nurture my muse. My published works range from contemporary fantasy romance to fantasy historical, futuristic, science fiction and historical romance. Currently I live in rural Pennsylvania with a “motley crew” of rescue animals. You can see my books at www.miriamnewman.com.

Author's Giveaway
 the more you comment, the better your chances of winning

34 comments:

Goddess Fish Promotions said...

Thanks for hosting!

Miriam Newman said...

Thank you for posting and for the very thoughtful summary. I hope you like Book III as well. It is available for pre-order and releases in March.

Bernie Wallace said...

How do you come up for the names of the characters in your book?

Bridgett Wilbur said...

I would love to read your book.

Bea LaRocca said...

I love the cover! Thank you for sharing your review and the book and the book details. This sounds like an interesting series

Miriam Newman said...

Thanks for your comments, ladies. As far as names go, I usually do come up with them out of my head, but occasionally there is research involved, too. Especially when there is historical context, I'm not averse to going back through history looking for names that appeal to me. Currently, I am writing about Anglo-Saxons after the Norman conquest of England and the names are totally fascinating. You can see some of them next year when my next series releases.

Miriam Newman said...

I can claim no credit whatsoever for that cover. It comes from Lynn Hubbard, cover artist for DCL Publications. Glad you loved it!

Lynn Hubbard said...

Miriam, Not sure which one I like better, the cover for II or the new cover for # III. :-) Hugs, Lynn Hubbard

Miriam Newman said...

Lynn, I can't wait for the next one, either. If anyone likes ancient times romance, you should watch for what Lynn has done on my release later in the year called Warlord. It's amazing.

Dale Wilken said...

The book sounds like a great read.

katieoscarlet said...

I read and enjoyed both the review and guest post. That man on the cover is definitely in tip top shape, wow.

CCAM said...

@Miriam Newman

You're welcome. I read your Guest Post when I arranged the post, after writing the review, and I was amused by its subject: past and future:)) As I already said, you have combined them very... naturally.

@@ ALL

Thank you for your comments and questions. Is much better when readers react :P
Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the opportunity to win. And thanks for sharing your review.

Gwendolyn Jordan said...

I like the cover

Cali W. said...

Thanks for the giveaway; I like the excerpt. :)

Julie Waldron said...

Great cover, thanks for the chance!

susan1215 said...

Sounds like a great book. I like the cover,

Miriam Newman said...

Thank you, everyone, for your comments and for the cover love. I must admit to a dropped jaw reaction when I saw it, LOL. And then I loved it.

tatertot374 said...

I always wonder where your fave place to write is? Thank you

rosannepm said...

Thanks for hosting and for the eyeful on the cover of the book Rosanne rosans4comcast(dot)net

Miriam Newman said...

I have pretty much trained myself to write only in my home office. It's like some sort of behavioral conditioning--if I'm in the office, I must be writing. Occasionally if I have a break at the evil day job, I may be able to jot down a few things, but even then it comes back to my desktop computer at home and into whatever manuscript I'm working on at the time. At home I have a small carpeted office just big enough for a desk and desktop, printer and a bookcase full of research books. The walls are full of framed horse racing and fox hunting prints because I rode as soon as my legs were long enough to get around a pony and that was my babysitter. LOL. Generally speaking, there are four dogs in that office--a pit bull, two hounds and a shepherd. They love having me in one spot just in case I drop food! And, yes, you may find dogs and horses in my books.

Victoria Alexander said...

Great review!

Nancy P said...

Terrific covers

abfantom said...

I like the cover. It is very sexy!

abfantom at yahoo dot com

clc408 said...

Looks like an interesting story.

Audrey Stewart said...

I have read THE CHRONICLES OF ALCINIA Series. I thought they were really good.

tetewa said...

Nice cover, sounds good!

Miriam Newman said...

Thank you for the comments. I am thrilled to hear someone liked The Chronicles of Alcinia. Now there was a mythical book if ever there was one!

billwinsbig said...

My daughter would enjoy this book.

Miriam Newman said...

Great to know, billwinsbig, and there will also be a sequel out in March. This series has been a lot of fun to write.

amanda whitley said...

my question is do you have the cover model's phone number HA kidding! The book sounds great!

billwinsbig said...

My daughter would enjoy this book

Bridgett Wilbur said...

I would love to read your book.

billwinsbig said...

My daughter would enjoy this book